Pete and the Team were out of Koyuk at 18:31pm bound for Elim. He didn’t drop any dogs so he is running with 11 dogs. Thomas Lesatz left just before him at 18:30.
This stretch of the trail is 48 miles. Probably a short break and then off to White Mountain. The total trip is close to 100 miles, so I figure he will split it with a rest period. That means 12:30 – 1:30am for Elim, but most mushers are making a push for White Mountain with little rest in Elim. Dallas Seavey left Koyuk last night at 5:30pm and arrived in White Mountain this morning at 7:30 this morning. If Pete makes similar time, he should be into White Mountain by tomorrow morning. A look at other musher time shows similar results- 12 hours or so from Koyuk to White Mountain.
Trail Description–
-From Don Bowers
This leg always seems longer than it is. Plan on five to seven hours, more if the wind is blowing. The trail follows the main snowmachine trail to Elim and is usually well marked. However, the wind can blow hard in the Moses Point area and the trail can drift over very quickly. From Koyuk, the trail runs southwest just offshore on the sea ice for about 12 miles and then cuts inland to the west across the wooded peninsula behind Bald Head, a prominent cape.
Ten miles later the trail crosses the mouth of the Kwik River, makes a three mile overland run along the dune line, and then jumps two miles across Kwiniuk Inlet to Moses Point. It then runs along a narrow spit and across some tidelands for about 11 miles to the old Moses Point FAA station, now abandoned. From there, the trail usually follows a nine-mile unplowed state highway up and over the heavily forested bluffs and down into Elim.
Weather Conditions:
Koyuk, Alaska (Airport)
Updated: 8:16 PM AKDT on March 16, 2010
Clear 19 °F
Windchill: 19 °F
Humidity: 28%
Dew Point: -9 °F
Wind: Calm
Pressure: 30.21 in (Rising)
Visibility: 10.0 miles
Trail Photos Ahead- Koyuk to Elim
